Causality and temporality: the case of cuando (when) in XX century Chilean essays

Abstract

This study analyzes expression of causality in a corpus of essays by 20th century Chilean authors. After a review of the theoretical literature, we concluded that there are different theoretical proposals for the treatment of the relationship between cause and effect. This decision was reached because, aside from its formal and functional expression in language, causality consists of a logical and semantic relationship inherent to natural processes, in that cause always precedes effect. For this reason, the cause-effect relationship is not exclusive to causal relationships, but it also encompasses other types of structures in which the degree or type of relationship/bonding among the parts of the construction will vary. For this reason, in this research we have considered all constructions where causal relationships are manifested in some respect: causal, consecutive, final, concessive and conditional. We can also add to this some cases of exclusive opposites in which appears to be an explanatory relationship. With this assumption in mind, we focus on the explanation of the synchronic use of cuando (when) in temporal expressions. From this analysis some concerns have arisen that cannot be explained by the actual use of the form in question. Therefore, we must look for the answers in the aspects of linguistic change that gave rise to it. In addition, a quantification of the results shows the frequency of cuando (when) as compared to other forms of causal relationship that are not related to temporality.